


Constellations

by GhostwolfWriterstar



Category: Wolfstar - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Marauders, Sexual Content, Smut, artist/model, illicit drug use, jily, major character death eventually, marauders era au, slow burn?, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-15 06:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8045434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostwolfWriterstar/pseuds/GhostwolfWriterstar
Summary: Modern Day Marauders AU: College age marauders living their lives. Heavy emphasis on Wolfstar. Artist!Remus / Model!SiriusThis fiction will contain illicit drug use, sexual content, and eventually major character death: Reader discretion is advised. All characters and whatnot belong to J.K. Rowling. In a nutshell, this is my pipedream of a headcanon :)





	1. The Model and The Artist

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, Ladies and Gents... this is the first time I've officially uploaded fanfiction to AO3! Wolfstar has claimed my life and I'm not sure if I'm ever getting it back *shrugs*

When Remus signed up for his first advanced art class he hadn’t realized they’d be practicing the human body. At least not the naked human body. His nerves were evident to the model who walked into class wearing baggy sweats and a sleeveless shirt. The model waved at a couple of students he knew and sauntered up the platform he was to stand on. He briefly met Remus’s eyes and the smallest of smiles pulled at the corners of his lips as he watched the shaggy haired boy quickly busy himself by reorganizing his supplies. Sirius shrugs out of his shirt and then kicks his shoes off. As he drops his pants he can’t help but grin when Remus knocks over a cup full of brushes. Today was going to be fun.  


Sirius faces the half circle of painters, completely at ease. He takes a few seconds to throw his hair up into a messy bun and Remus tries not to pay too much attention to his abs as he does this. He rubs the back of his neck, and feels his ears burn red. He tries to calm his anxiety with a deep breath. Why couldn’t they have picked a less attractive model? He thinks to himself and shakes his head. He glances around at his classmates and notices their composure. He sighs and begins to set to work on the contours of Sirius’s body. Soon, he falls into his artist world and gets lost in his work.  


Sirius occasionally watches Remus over the next hour and half. He notices the way his long fingers hold the brush and move it over the canvas, and also pays attention to the occasional blush that creeps up the back of the tall boy’s neck and spreads to his cheeks and ears. When this happens Sirius entertains himself by trying to guess which parts of his body Remus finds worthy of blushing over as he paints. Sirius likes the way his features pull into an intense focus, his teeth worrying his lower lip as he works. As much fun as it was observing the boy, his body was also starting to feel that aches of standing still for so long.  


He clears his throat, some of the class and the professor looks at him. Sirius arches an eyebrow at the middle aged woman and she nods back at him. “Okay, class,” She clears her throat. “I think we can wrap up here for today and I’ll see you all on Wednesday to finish up. Don’t forget that your essays are due Monday at midnight!”  


Sirius pulls his pants back on and wonders if anyone even heard the reminder over the sounds of people packing their stuff up and talking amongst each other. He looks up and notices that Remus alone is still working, seemingly oblivious that class had ended. Sirius pads over until he stands behind Remus, taking in the painting of himself.  


“You’re quite talented,” Sirius says in a low voice. Remus jumps out of his skin, knocking over his cup of brushes again. He begins to stand up at the same time Sirius bends down to start picking up the scattered brushes and hits his head on Sirius’s shoulder. “Shit! Sorry!” Sirius says, grabbing Remus’s elbow to steady him. All of this feels more complicated than it needs to be to Sirius, but when Remus meets his eyes all lucid thought leaves him.  


The color of his eyes is reminiscent of honey, as is the texture of his voice when he mutters “No worries.” For the first time in Sirius’s life he’s at a loss for words, he stands there, staring like an idiot for a moment, feeling the warm, sticky viscosity of Remus’s voice settling somewhere deep in his stomach. Remus gives him a half smile, the blush creeping up his neck again.  


“I’ll, uh.. just help you pick these up then,” Sirius mumbles, stooping down again. “How long have you been painting?” he asks, trying to regain his composure.  


“Oh, my whole life I suppose.” Remus smiles.  


“And you’ve never done a nude painting?” Sirius asks, handing him a handful of brushes, raising an eyebrow. Remus looks slightly crestfallen at this statement and Sirius quickly backtracks. “Not that you’ve done badly! You just seemed a bit nervous is all.”  


Remus’s eyes have the light of a smile in them and meet Sirius’s anxious ones, “Just a bit?” Butterflies erupt in Sirius’s stomach. He and Remus both laugh. “This clearly wasn’t your first time posing, I take it.” Remus adds, packing away the last of his things. Sirius shakes his head.  


“A year ago I was tight on money and my roommate, James, saw an ad in the paper and jokingly told me I’d be perfect for the job. Little did he know I’d actually fucking do it.” Sirius smiles fondly of the memory. “It’s a decent enough check, and I’m not exactly shy.”  


“I hadn’t noticed,” Remus smirks at him, pulling on his backpack. “I’m Remus, by the way.”  


“Sirius. Sirius Black,” The dark haired model says, holding out his hand. He’s surprised at how firm Remus grasps his in return. Remus has a moment of anxiety and wonders if Sirius hates how cold his hands are. He breaks contact first, too quickly for Sirius’s liking. Remus picks up his canvas and turns to take it over to the shelves set aside for drying.  


“Can I see that again?” Sirius touches his arm to stop him.  


“Uh, sure..” Remus hands it to him uncertainly. “It’s not done though.” Sirius’s grey eyes trail slowly over the image of himself, taking in the detail of the tattoos painted across his chest and shoulders. Remus had chosen to portray him in black and white and somehow his style seemed simple and intricate all at once.  


Remus watches him looking at his work, and resists the urge to apologize for how bad it is. He knows he’s a good painter. Sirius whistles lowly and Remus tries and fails not to blush. Sirius wants to ask him if he’d like a private sitting to finish the painting, but decides not to push his luck. Surely, the artist would be too shy to take him up on his subliminal offer. He hands the painting back, careful not to touch any of the damp areas. “I wish I could create something as beautiful.” He smiles at Remus, picking up a shoe off the floor.  


Remus watches Sirius bend to tie his shoes and thinks about what his skin looks like underneath his baggy clothes. He shakes his head. “Sirius, would you perhaps want to get a drink with me?”  


Sirius looks up at him in surprise and Remus looks down at the floor, color rising into his cheeks again. “Yeah, okay,” Sirius can’t help but grin as Remus meets his eyes in astonishment. He takes in the freckles scattered across the bridge of Remus’s nose. “I know a place on Ninth Street,” He offers.


	2. The Stoner and The Snoop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius gets to know Remus a little better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry these chapters are so short right now! They'll eventually be longer!

Sirius follows Remus out of the building and blinks in the afternoon sunlight. He stops at the bike rack and begins undoing the bike chain. “Do you live on campus?” He asks.  


Remus nods, “Yeah, I’m just over there.” He jerks his head in the direction of the rows of ivy-covered student apartments across the street from the school. When Sirius looks at him in the sun he notices a collection of scars mixed among the freckles over his nose and even a couple on his forehead and neck. He wonders where they came from but keeps his questions to himself. Something about Remus makes him feel a nervous excitement. A desire to find out everything he can about the man takes root inside him.  


“Do you care if I drop my things off?” Remus asks.  


“Not at all.” Sirius says and follows him over to the brick buildings. Remus is surprised when he carries his bike up to the third floor with little issue. He doesn’t seem to be out of breath in the slightest as Remus pushes the door open and leads him into the small studio apartment. The space is uncluttered and clean for the most part. It smells faintly of weed and Pine Sol.  


Sirius, the snoop that he is, instantly begins taking a mental inventory of Remus’s life. A spotless kitchen exists to the immediate right of the door. Two battered bar stools are lined up at the breakfast bar, but no kitchen table. To the left of the front door, a well-worn couch is positioned against the wall, and a paint splattered coffee table sits in front of it.  


Along the entire wall adjacent to the couch is a row of windows that let in more natural light than Sirius had ever seen in any apartment. The sill is lined with rows of books, a few cacti plants, and some folded blankets. At the other end of the windowed wall is a nightstand, littered with old coffee mugs and an unmade queen sized bed with dark, red flannel sheets spilling off of it.  


Hanging over it is a huge graffitied sheet was tacked to the wall reading: ‘Stay Queer, Stay Rebel.’ Sirius grins from the sheet to Remus who shrugs. “You’d have found out at some point if we keep hanging out.”  


Sirius chuckles, “I guess it puts us on even ground if I tell you I’m bi then.”  


Remus laughs, “Yeah, I suppose it would.” Sirius notices how much more comfortable Remus is in his own home than in the classroom.  


“So what do you want to be when you grow up?” he asks Remus, trying to figure this shy, sarcastic, queer, artist, stoner boy out. Remus sits down on the edge of the coffee table.  


“I’m not entirely sure. I came here with the intention of going into graphic design, but when doing art became work it lost some of its appeal. Now, I’m majoring in math. I’ll probably end up as a teacher, I suppose. I like to play around with different equations though, trying to make sense of stuff like expanding space. It’s a little beyond my level of expertise but it occupies my free time outside of painting.” Remus tells him.  


Sirius cocks an eyebrow; a look Remus was beginning to look forward to seeing. “I’m starting to get the sense that you’re secretly like the Albert Einstein of the present age or something. Have you had your IQ tested?”  


“I haven’t,” Remus laughs loudly, the skin at the corner of his eyes crinkling. “So, you’re not a math major then?” Sirius shakes his head.  


“You’d be correct,” He smiles, sitting down on the couch, opposite Remus. “I’m not really sure what I want to do. I’ve got my associates in theology, but don’t actually plan on doing anything with it. I’m considering going back to school for massage therapy next year.” He shrugs.  


Remus shakes his head. “A massage therapist with a degree in theology. Somehow, I think you’d probably pull it off.” Sirius feels his neck warm at the praise, and Remus notices the red tinge. He disregards it.  


“So where is this bar?” He asks.  


“Ninth Street, right next to that creepy wax museum. Weird place. It’s called The Leaky Cauldron. They make the strangest drinks, but it’s got a pretty cool atmosphere, and I think they do Karaoke on Friday nights.”  


“Oh god, you’re not gonna ask me to sing are you?” Remus makes a face. Sirius gives him a mischievous smile.  


“’Course not! The liquor might though.” He winks. Remus shakes his head.  


“I’m getting the sense that you’re a handful.” He smirks at Sirius. “Do you want to smoke before we go?” He asks. Sirius nods even though he hasn’t smoked since his freshman year of high school. An excitement is building inside him that he hasn’t felt for a long time.  


He has a feeling it has more to do with the tall, shaggy haired boy sitting across from him than the prospect of smoking weed.  


Remus’s long, nimble fingers look just as excellent packing a bowl as they do painting an elaborate portrait, Sirius decides. He watches as Remus inhales and delays the exhale. He takes the bowl when Remus passes it to him. The glass feels foreign in Sirius’s hand, but he manages to light it and then takes a hit just as deep as Remus had. It feels as though he’s tried to swallow burning sandpaper. He instantly starts hacking. He coughs so hard his eyes water and he’s certain for a moment that he’ll vomit. Remus drops down next to him, handing him a cup of water. He gratefully takes a drink.  


“Are you gonna make it?” Remus laughs.  


“I’m not-“ He gasps. “Entirely sure.” He coughs and takes another drink. Finally, he regains his breath and at the same time settles into a heavy warmth. The couch feels much softer to Sirius and he settles into it a little, admiring the colorful paint splatters on the table in front of him. He notices the word ‘Lupin’ roughly carved in small jagged letters on the corner of the table.  


“What’s Lupin mean?” He asks. Remus laughs and takes another hit off the bowl, relaxing beside him a little bit.  


“That’s my last name.” He says, the smoke pooling out of his mouth and nose in thick, soft wisps. He offers the bowl to Sirius again.  


“I think I’m good for now.” His voice sounds like it’s not coming from him. He chuckles and looks at Remus with heavily lidded eyes. Remus grins lopsidedly at him and Sirius feels heat pool in his belly. ‘Jesus, he’s beautiful,’ Sirius thinks to himself.  


“You ready to go?” Remus bumps Sirius’s knee with his own.  


“Yeah, if we don’t I’ll probably fall asleep, and that’d just be embarrassing.” Sirius laughs, standing up. He offers his hand to Remus and pulls him up. Remus leaves his hand in the other boy’s for a few seconds longer than necessary, letting his thumb run over the soft skin of his knuckles. They make eye contact and Remus loses some of his nerve. He looks away first, reminding himself he’s only known this boy for a matter of hours. 


	3. Amortentia

The fresh air feels good on Sirius’s face and he breathes deeply. Time was feeling more fluid than usual to Remus. “So where do you live at?” He asks Sirius. 

“I live in the Guilford Apartments,” Sirius tells him. “My roommates and I started renting there about a year ago.”

“How many roommates do you have?” Remus asks him, genuinely curious. 

“Three.” He says. “James, Peter, and Lily.” He elaborates with a dopey smile spreading across his face. “They’re like my family. We’ve all been in school together since like the fifth grade. Lily’s like the smartest person I’ve ever met, you’d love talking to her I bet.” He smiles at Remus. “And Pete can be shy, but once you get to know him he’s really funny and sarcastic. James just looks out for everyone. I don’t think he ever thinks about himself first. His family took me in when I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” He stops jabbering and pauses, paranoid that he’s said too much. “Sorry. Sometimes I overshare.”

“No! It’s fine.” Remus smiles at him. “I can tell they mean a lot to you.” Sirius grins at him thankfully. 

“So what about you? Do you have family around here?” He asks. Remus shakes his head. 

“Nope, it’s just me.” He tells him. Sirius waits for him to elaborate, but Remus doesn’t offer anything else. 

“Have you lived in Baltimore your whole life or did you just come for school?” Sirius prods tactfully. 

“I lived in Florida until I was eleven and then my dad moved us to Houston.” Remus tells him. “He enrolled me in a Catholic school for boys. I suppose to try and keep me focused on school during my junior high years or something.” He smirks at Sirius. “Of course there was a flaw in his plan.”

“The irony would fucking kill me.” Sirius laughs. 

“The nuns were less amusing than the irony of the situation when they caught me making out with an older boy in the locker room my freshman year.” Remus replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Sirius hummed. 

“I can’t fuckin’ imagine growing up in a Texan Catholic school.” He says. “Although James, Pete, and I probably would’ve been tossed out for bad behavior. Honestly, I’m surprised we didn’t get expelled from public school.” He adds. Remus laughs. 

“I’ve just got this feeling you probably have a knack for talking your way out of trouble.” 

“Depends on the day. I’m a very convincing fake crier.” Sirius winks at Remus. 

“I don’t doubt it.” Remus rolls his eyes. His hand brushes Sirius’s as they walk. “Sorry,” he says, politely. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to make a move on me, Lupin.” He raises that godforsaken eyebrow again. 

“And if I am?” Remus says smoothly. 

“Shit, you’ve got game.” Sirius whistles. “I might be willing to play.” 

Remus’s reply is lost when Sirius exclaims, “Speak of the devil! That’s my roommate.” He waves to a boy with dark skin, unruly black hair, and square rimmed glasses. “James!” He calls. 

“Padfoot!” James yells, closing the distance between them. “What’re you up to?” He asks, clapping Sirius on the back, breaking up the tide of people walking on the sidewalk so they had to walk around the trio. 

_What in the hell is a padfoot? Remus thinks to himself._

“Remus and I are just going to The Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Remus; this is James. James; this’s Remus.” James peers over Sirius’s shoulder and takes in the tall, messy-haired boy. 

“Nice to meet you,” he smiles enthusiastically and extends his hand. 

“Likewise.” Remus responds warmly, briefly grasping the offered hand. 

“Anyway, as much as I’d love to stay and chitchat, I’ve got a sick woman to tend to. Lily’s sent me to Walgreens for all this stuff.” He says pulling out a piece of paper with probably a dozen things on it. “Have you ever even heard of oatmeal bath?” He looks between Sirius and Remus. Sirius shrugs. 

“Best of luck, mate. I’m sure someone in the store will know where to find it.”

“Try with the first aid stuff,” Remus advises him. “I had poison ivy once and I’m pretty sure I found it there.” 

James smiles at him and gives Sirius a look that Remus can’t read. “You’re an angel,” James pats Remus’s shoulder, hurrying away down the street. “See you later!” He calls over his shoulder at Sirius. 

“He seems very charismatic,” Remus tells Sirius with a grin. “I can see you guys running around school causing trouble together.” 

“Yeah, we pulled some impressive pranks,” Sirius says, stopping outside of a glass door reading: ‘The Leaky Cauldron.’ He pulls the door open for Remus. The minute he walks he’s astonished. 

The inside of the building is the complete opposite of the plain outside. There are replica trees spaced throughout the room, making it look like a forest with fairy lights hanging down over the tables. The bar set up mimicked the rim of a cauldron and the mirrors behind the shelf were fogging up from the steam pouring out from behind the bar. 

Music echoed loudly, making the fake leaves on the trees vibrate, adding to the sense that he had entered another world. In the back, slightly raised on the platform above the dance floor, a male patron was drunkenly singing the words to the song ‘I Want It That Way’ by The Backstreet Boys. The dude wasn’t half bad. “Holy shit.” He smiles at Sirius. “How’ve I never heard of this place?” 

“I really don’t know why more people don’t know about it. It’s usually got a pretty good crowd, but you’d think in a college town this place would have a line out the door.” Sirius shrugs, leading him through throngs of people, to the bar. He smiles at Remus who was still looking around in wonder. The black ceiling paired with the already dark room, made it seem to disappear completely. 

“What do you usually order?” Remus asks, looking confusedly down at a menu. “I don’t recognize any of these drinks.” 

“I typically get Amortentia. It honestly doesn’t even taste like alcohol.”

“That sounds dangerous.” Remus chuckles. “Have you ever tried Wolfsbane?” He asks, eyes still scanning down the list of odd options. Sirius shakes his head. 

“Don’t know what that one’s like, but I had a few too many shots of the Polyjuice last time I was here and it _fucked_ me up. Woke up in Pete’s bed with a new tattoo and a high heel on. Can’t say I’ll order that ever again.” 

“Oh, god.” Remus laughs, trying to picture it. “I have so many questions about that statement.” 

“You and me both, dude.” Sirius grins at him, swiping some stray hair out of his face. 

“What can I get you gu- _Sirius_!” A girl with thick, wavy blonde hair exclaims excitedly, running around to their side of the bar and throwing herself into his arms. 

“Hi, Marly.” He laughs deeply. “When did you get back from Haiti?” 

“About a week ago.” She smiles at him. 

“I’m glad you’re back! And tanner than ever, my lovely flower. Has Emmeline had a chance to gaze upon that luminous skin of yours?” Sirius raises his eyebrow and Remus feels his ears heat up. 

“Actually,” she giggles and holds her left hand up in front of Sirius’s face, showing off a thin silver band with a small diamond in the middle. 

“Holy fucking hell, Marlene!” Sirius laughs, hugging her again. “We’ve got a lot to catch up on.” He says excitedly. 

“We do indeed, Black.” She smiles happily. “Probably when I’m off the clock is better though. We can get coffee next week or something. And don’t tell Lily yet! I’m seeing her tomorrow and I want to tell her myself.” 

Sirius mimes locking his lips and throwing away the key. “Secret’s safe with me, darling.” She smiles at him. 

“Good. Now you can introduce me to the lovely gentleman you’ve brought with you.” She says, eyeing Remus with a grin plastered to her face. 

“Remus Lupin,” Lupin says, holding out a hand. She ignores the hand and gives him a suffocating hug instead. Remus discreetly removes a couple of her hairs out of his mouth and raises his eyebrows at Sirius over Marlene’s shoulder. He returns the hug to the best of his socially anxious ability. “N-nice to meet you.” He says, blushing profusely. Sirius laughs. 

“Don’t scare him, Marls!” Sirius says, only half joking. 

“Nonsense,” She says, pulling away. “Any friend of Black’s is a friend of mine.” She tells Remus, flitting back around to the other side of the bar. “Now. What can I get you guys?”

“We’ll have four shots of Amortentia.” Sirius tells her. 

“And two Wolfsbane.” Remus adds. 

“Can I see your ID’s please?” She asks sweetly. 

Remus pulls his out and sets it on the bar. Sirius pouts, “Really, Marls?”

“You lazy asshole, just pull it out of your wallet.” She laughs, taking a look at Remus’s ID. “A Pisces!” She exclaims happily, “Just like me.” 

Sirius rolls his eyes and grins deviously. “Everyone knows Leap Year babies don’t get a zodiac sign, Marlene. Give it up.” 

“Shut it, Sirius.” She says, barely glancing at his ID and throwing it back to him. “You’re just jealous you don’t have a birthday as cool as mine.” She adds, heading toward the other side of the bar to mix their drinks.

“Is it just me or do you know like _everyone_ in this city on a personal level?” Remus asks Sirius. 

“Not everyone, that’s simply absurd.” Sirius laughs. “Although I guess you’ve now met two of my close friends in, like, the last twenty minutes.” He shrugs, tipping his tall chair back a little on its hind legs. 

“I hope you fall over, Black.” Marlene says, setting their drinks down in front of them and giving Remus a wink. 

“You’re one cold-hearted woman, Marly.” Sirius sticks his tongue out at her, letting his chair fall back into place. She flips him off on her way down the bar to tend to another group that was just sitting down. Remus laughs. 

“Bottoms up,” Sirius says, clinking his shot glass against Remus’s. They each down the off-white, glittery liquid and Remus feels his head spinning when he sets the glass down. 

“It’s so sweet.” Remus says in surprise. 

“I’m not sure you’ll think the same of this one.” Sirius says, eyeing what must be the Wolfsbane. The liquid inside the small glass was a deep green color. Remus smells it and wrinkles his nose. 

“Smells like NyQuil.” He shrugs and smiles at Sirius. “Down the hatch.” 

They both empty their glasses and the liquid sears as it flows down their throats. Sirius shivers dramatically and Remus laughs at him. They each take the other shot of Amortentia to wash it down. 

They look at each other and laugh, both already feeling the effects of the alcohol permeating their blood streams. “Is it cheesy if I say I’m happy that we met today?” Sirius asks. 

“Nah,” Remus smiles. “I think you’re worth getting to know.” Sirius can’t tell if the freckled boy is blushing underneath the permanent pink hue that his cheeks have been stained since the first shot they took. 

Sirius puts a hand on Remus’s knee and Remus shamelessly lets his eyes wander to the other boy’s lips. At the exact moment Remus decides to chance a kiss, Sirius hops off his bar stool. “Drunk enough to sing with me?” He asks with a wild grin fixed to his face. 

“Not yet,” Remus laughs, feeling awkward. “I’ll watch this round.” 

“Not a bad choice,” Marlene says, leaning over the bar and watching Sirius walk up to the stage. “That boy can put on quite a show when he wants to.” 

“Does he ever stop showing off?” Remus asks, slightly breathless as he watches Sirius wrap himself around the microphone stand. 

“Sometimes,” The blonde shrugs. “You like him, don’t you?” 

“What?” Remus looks at her, slightly panicked. 

“Oh, honey. You’ve got it bad too.” She laughs, clearing the row of empty shot glasses off the bar. 

Remus pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to quell some of his anxiety. “That obvious?” He asks her, inhaling deeply. 

She nods. “I think he’s interested in you too though, for what it’s worth.” She says, briefly making eye contact with him. He looks down at his lap and chuckles. 

Sirius’s voice begins to pour out of the speakers and Remus looks up at the man in surprise. “Holy, shit.” He breathes. “He can sing!” He glances back at Marlene, who laughs at Remus. 

_“I put a spell on you_ ,” Sirius sings languidly, still caressing the microphone. Remus feels warm all over. _“No I ain’t lyin’_ ” His voice falls like a blanket over the bar as people start to really listen. He’s captivating, his body poised with a casual confidence that can’t be faked and his voice revealing something vulnerable within him. Remus notes how his eyebrows draw together when he holds a note. 

“Jesus Christ.” Remus mutters as Sirius gains momentum. Marlene cat calls and Sirius smirks, taking a second to wink at her. Remus thinks that he’d give anything to trade places with the microphone stand.

_“Because you’re mine_ ,” Sirius finishes heavily, taking a low bow and hopping off the stage. 

“Keep that up, and the owners are gonna have to start paying you,” Marlene jokes, as Sirius returns to them amongst a sea of happy patrons. “Here,” She says handing him another shot. “This one’s on the house.” She slides another toward Remus as well. 

Remus swallows the sweet liquid as Sirius sits back down next to him. “I’m impressed,” He smiles lopsidedly at Sirius. 

“Hi, impressed.” Sirius grins, “I’m drunk.” 

Marlene rolls her eyes at the two idiots laughing in front of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for smut ;)


	4. A Separate Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this has taken so long! It's been a crazy week between school and work. Anyway! I hope you enjoy!

“It’s totally fine!” Remus drunkenly laughs, trying to fit his key into the deadbolt outside his apartment door. Sirius is trying just as drunkenly to dry the left leg of Remus’s skinny jeans with the hem of his shirt. 

“I shouldn’t have tried to take the eighth shot.” He giggles against Remus’s side and his voice joins the cacophony of other voices and loud music in the hallway. “How do you sleep here?” He adds loudly over the shouts of triumph coming from a large group surrounding a game of beer pong.

“It’s not as bad throughout the week.” Remus answers, finally getting the door unlocked. He waves Sirius through the door and closes it behind them. Sirius hops up onto the kitchen counter and watches Remus hook his iPhone up to a Bluetooth speaker system. The music drowns out the sounds of the rambunctious crowd in the hallway. 

“You guys never have any noise complaints?” Sirius laughs over the hum of the collective noises around him. 

“Well, technically I’m the RA so people try to bring their noise complaints to me.” He winks at Sirius, taking a drag off a joint. Sirius begins laughing so hard he clutches his chest. 

“You don’t seem like the authoritative type.” He says, his eyes watering. 

“Well, as long as the building isn’t on fire and the parties aren’t continuing all week long I don’t really ever have to intervene. I get my own room and a discount on my tuition.” Remus shrugs, offering Sirius the joint. 

“I’m okay.” Sirius shakes his head. “I don’t actually smoke.” 

“It’s kind of a nervous habit of mine.” Remus blushes. 

“I might be assuming things, so stop me if I’m wrong.” Sirius starts, the alcohol making his words bleed together a little. “If you’re nervous because I’m here, you don’t need to be. I didn’t come back with you with any expectations.” He watches Remus’s shoulders relax a little. “Well, other than to get my bike at some point. That’s definitely an expectation.” He adds thoughtfully. 

Remus chuckles. “Cool. I mean to both things. You can definitely have your bike; I won’t keep it hostage. And.. you’re not assuming things.” 

Sirius smiles and decides to change the subject. “So, have you read all these books?” He asks, walking over to the windowed wall and peering at Remus’s literary collection. 

“Most of them.” Remus says, rummaging in the fridge, and then walking over to join him. He hands Sirius a beer. 

“Do you have a favorite?” Sirius asks, twisting the cap off his bottle and taking a drink. 

“I really like ‘A Separate Peace’ Remus tells him. 

“Mm,” Sirius hums. “Fantastic example of a Christ symbol in that one.” And before Remus knows what’s happening Sirius taps the top of his bottle with the bottom of his. 

“Mother-“ Remus starts, and then dumps his beer back before it goes all over the floor. Sirius watches his throat work as he chugs it and throws his head back in laughter. “Totally not fair!” Remus laughs, beer running down the corners of his mouth. He uses the back of his hand to wipe it off. 

“Sorry!” Sirius continues laughing. “Couldn’t resist.” 

“Dare you to chug yours.” Remus smirks at him, and Sirius raises an eyebrow. 

He obliges and shrugs his shoulders, belching loudly. “You got anymore?” Remus nods, handing him another. And then another. 

Thirty minutes later, Sirius is laying on the kitchen counter, laughing hysterically. “You did not.” 

“Yes, I did!” Remus challenges, sitting on the linoleum in the kitchen, recounting his bottles. “I drank two more than you!” 

“You’re gonna have to challenge James sometime. He’s insufferable and someone needs to put him in his place!” Remus laughs at him. 

“What do you wanna do now?” he asks, leaning against the cabinets under the counter Sirius was currently occupying. 

“You know!” Sirius says, clumsily sitting up, not bothering to finish his sentence. 

“I know what?” Remus prompts, tilting his head up to look at him. 

“You should try to paint me now! We can compare the drunk picture to the sober one!” He says excitedly. Slowly, a sloppy smile spreads across Remus’s face. It’s not something he would typically agree to but he was feeling warm and tingly and excited. 

“Okay,” He says softly. Sirius looks at him with mild surprise.

“Really?” Sirius asks him. 

“Yeah, really! Let’s do it!” Remus says, feeling more confident by the moment, giving himself over to the alcohol running through his veins. This is the most fun he’s had in a long time. 

“Where should we do it?” Sirius asks, looking around. 

“The living room should be fine.” Remus answers, hearing the slur in his own words, and ready for the challenge ahead of him. 

Sirius slides off the counter and saunters over to the coffee table. “Can I stand on this?” He asks. 

“Please do.” Remus laughs, pulling out his easel. He perches on one of the bar stools he bought for a quarter at a garage sale last summer and watches Sirius undress. Sirius winks at him and steps up onto the paint splattered coffee table. He laughs as Sirius strikes pose after pose, dancing to music flooding the small space. 

Realizing Sirius wasn’t likely to stand still for any portion of time, Remus begins to focus on catching his manic, happy essence instead. Sirius blows him a kiss and he nearly falls off the table. Remus laughs at him as he corrects his balance. 

“Okay! Okay, it’s done!” He says forty minutes later, watching Sirius try to do a handstand on the coffee table. “Get down from there before you hurt yourself, you lunatic.” 

Sirius hops down and sidles over to Remus. “You painted this one so much faster than the other one.” He says, standing next to him. 

“Well, this one isn’t for a grade.” Remus says, handing the canvas over to the other boy. 

“Simply inspired!” Sirius exclaims. “I think you drew my dick too big though.” He adds unabashedly. 

“I assure you, my proportions are entirely accurate.” Remus rolls his eyes, the familiar sensations of a blush spreading up his neck and into his cheeks. 

“You’re cute when you’re trying not to be shy.” Sirius says. 

“You’re too kind.” Remus responds, his voice sounds sweet and thick. They look at each other for a few seconds, grey eyes searching brown, and Sirius draws in a fluttery breath and cups Remus’s chin. His fingers splay along the line of Remus’s jaw and then their lips meet. 

He can taste the alcohol on Remus’s tongue and feels a hand thread into his hair. Remus tugs at Sirius’s lower lip with his teeth and Sirius makes a noise in the back of his throat, one of his hands grasps Remus’s thigh. The other hand slides up the back of Remus’s shirt, fingers exploring the bumps of the taller boy’s spine. 

Remus gasps into Sirius’s mouth and raises his arms as Sirius pulls his long sleeved shirt over his head. Sirius tries to take a step closer and Remus feels the bar stool tip. 

The next thing he knows he knows is that he’s lying on the hard wood floor in a pile with Sirius and the stool. He can’t even help it when he breaks into uncontrollable laughter. “I am so fucking sorry.” Sirius gasps out through the laughter that is forcing its way out of him as well.

“Oh my fucking god,” Remus pants, an arm over his eyes. The room is spinning around him. “We are so drunk.” He giggles. 

Sirius sighs happily, laying his head against the cool floor. “Should we continue, or…” He trails off. 

“Honestly, I think maybe I really like you and it’d be kind of cool to slow things down a little.” Remus says, watching Sirius for a reaction, hoping he hasn’t said too much. Sirius smiles at him lopsidedly though. 

“Yeah, I can get on board with that. I don’t know why, but I feel like I’ve known you for so long, even though it’s really only been like ten hours or something. It’s kind of fucking with me.” Sirius slurs. Remus laughs. 

“We can talk about it another time.” Remus says. “For now, I think we should settle down.” He adds. Sirius nods, beginning to notice how heavy his eyelids are starting to feel. Remus stands up, holding out a hand to Sirius. He pulls him up and Sirius stumbles a little. Remus wraps an arm around his waist, and helps him over to his bed. 

“G’night.” He says, pulling the comforter over the other boy, and then begins walking toward the other side of the room. 

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to sleep on the couch right now.” Sirius mumbles without opening his eyes. Remus blushes. 

“I suppose that is kind of absurd.” Remus sighs, walking back over to his bed. 

“Mhm,” Sirius agrees, feeling Remus’s weight next to him now. He curls around the taller boy, tangling their legs up. He sighs happily against Remus’s neck and runs a hand sleepily over the man’s chest. 

Remus smiles, feeling drunk and warm, partially underneath the other boy. He holds one of the arms wrapped around him and closes his eyes.


End file.
